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P-34578 BW One of two new ring arcs, or partial rings, discovered by Voyager 2, is faintly visible just outside the orbit of the Neptunian moon 1989N4.The 155-second exposure taken by the spacecraft's narrow-angle camera shows the glare of an overexposed Neptune to the right of the moon and ring arc. The two bright streaks below the moon and ring arc are stars. The ring arc is approximately 50,000 kilometers (30,000 miles) long. The second ring arc, not apparent here, is about 10,000 kilometers (6,000 miles) long and is assoiciated with moon 1989N3. The ring arc, along with 1989N4, orbits about 62,000 kilometers (38,000 miles) from the planet's cloud tops. Astronomers long suspected the existence of such an irregular ring system around Neptune. Data from repeated ground-based observations hinted at the existence of irregular strands of partial rings orbiting Neptune. Voyager's photographs of the ring arcs are the first photographic evidence that such a ring system exists. Voyager scientists said the ring arcs may be comprised of debris associated with the nearby moons, or may be the remnants of moons that have been torn apart or ground down through collisions. Close-up studies of the ring arcs by Voyager 2 will help determine their composition. ARC-1989-A89-7042

P-34578 BW One of two new ring arcs, or partial rings, discovered by V...

P-34578 BW One of two new ring arcs, or partial rings, discovered by Voyager 2, is faintly visible just outside the orbit of the Neptunian moon 1989N4.The 155-second exposure taken by the spacecraft's narrow-an... More

Range : 30 million km. ( 18.6 million miles ) P-34628 C The south pole of Neptune is at the center of this polar projection made from five color images taken by Voyager 2 over the course of one Neptunian day-- about 18 hours. Latitude lines are concentric circles, and the outer circle is at about 15 degrees north latitude. Cloud paterns are organized by the planet's rotation and are generally concentric with the pole . Oval storms, which drift in longitude at relative speeds up to 400 miles an hour, disrupt the circular symmetry. The color composite was made from black and white frames through the Voyager narrow angle camera's clear, orange, and green filters. ARC-1989-AC89-7044

Range : 30 million km. ( 18.6 million miles ) P-34628 C The south pole...

Range : 30 million km. ( 18.6 million miles ) P-34628 C The south pole of Neptune is at the center of this polar projection made from five color images taken by Voyager 2 over the course of one Neptunian day-- ... More

P-34669 Range : 2.6 million km. ( 1.6 million miles ) Smallest Resolvable Feature : 50 km or 31 miles These two Voyager 2 images, shot through clear filters, show the largest of the new moons of Neptune, 1989N1, discovered by Voyager. The satellite, made of dark material that reflects about 6 % of incident sunlight, has an average radius of about 200 kilometers ( 124 miles ) and an irregular shape. Its similiar appearance in the two images shows that the shape seen here is not the result of image noise or smear. This may the largest satellite in the solar system with such an irregular shape. satellite 1989N1 is slightly larger than the previously known small Neptunian moon Nereid but is very much darker. ARC-1989-A89-7021

P-34669 Range : 2.6 million km. ( 1.6 million m...

P-34669 Range : 2.6 million km. ( 1.6 million miles ) Smallest Resolvable Feature : 50 km or 31 miles These two Voyager 2 images, shot through clear filters, show the largest of the new ... More

P-34668 Range : 2.8 million km. ( 1.7 million miles ) Smallest Resolvable Feature : 50 km or 31 miles This Voyager 2 image shows the last face on view of the Great Dark Spot that Voyager 2 will take with the narrow angle camera. It was made 45 hours before the closest approach to Neptune. the image shows feathery white clouds that overlie the boundary of the dark and light blue regions. the pinwheel ( spiral ) structure of both the dark boundary and the white cirrus suggest a storm system rotating counterclockwise. Periodic, small-scale patterns in the white clouds, possibly waves, are short-lived and do not persist from one Neptunian rotation to the next. This color composite was made from the clear and green filter images. ARC-1989-AC89-7022

P-34668 Range : 2.8 million km. ( 1.7 million miles ) Smallest Resolv...

P-34668 Range : 2.8 million km. ( 1.7 million miles ) Smallest Resolvable Feature : 50 km or 31 miles This Voyager 2 image shows the last face on view of the Great Dark Spot that Voyager 2 will take with the ... More

Range : 4.2 million km. ( 2.6 million miles ) P-34649 This photograph of Neptune's southern hemisphere taken by Voyager 2's narrow angle camera, through the green and clear filters. The smallest feature that can be seen are 38 km ( 24 miles ) across. the almond shaped structure at the left is a large cloud system that has been seen for several weeks. Internal details in the feature have become increasingly apparent as Voyager 2 has approached. Systems with similiar shapes in Jupiter's atmosphere rotate about their centers, rolling in the local winds that increase toward the south. However, the wispy nature of the white central clouds in this Neptunian feature make confirmation of the syste.m's rotation difficult ARC-1989-AC89-7014

Range : 4.2 million km. ( 2.6 million miles ) P-34649 This photograph...

Range : 4.2 million km. ( 2.6 million miles ) P-34649 This photograph of Neptune's southern hemisphere taken by Voyager 2's narrow angle camera, through the green and clear filters. The smallest feature that ... More

P-34630 Range: 10.5 million kilometers (6.5 million miles) This cylindrical projection view of Neptune uses five narrow-angle images equally spaced around the planet. They were taken by Voyager 2 over the course of a Neptunian day, an interval of about 18 hours. Latitude lines are horizontal in the image, and range from 80 degrees south to 30 degrees north of the equator. Near the center, the Great Dark Spot leaves a disturbed wave-like pattern that stretches around Neptune. Features further south move eastward at speeds up to 400 mph relative to the Great Dark Spot. The features are storms--moving cloud systems that persist for months or longer. The weather forecast for Neptune is therefore continued high winds and cold with little change in temperature. ARC-1989-A89-7040

P-34630 Range: 10.5 million kilometers (6.5 million miles) This cylind...

P-34630 Range: 10.5 million kilometers (6.5 million miles) This cylindrical projection view of Neptune uses five narrow-angle images equally spaced around the planet. They were taken by Voyager 2 over the cours... More